


Ret-Comp (retroactive compensation)

by reiley



Series: WIAD Home Game [6]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Challenge Response, Community: writerinadrawer, F/M, Ficlet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-26
Updated: 2013-02-26
Packaged: 2017-12-03 18:01:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/701085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reiley/pseuds/reiley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><strong><em>The</em></strong> phone.  The one that could call any place or any time in the whole universe.  The one Jack had locked away and warned them all that it was <em>never</em> to be used.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ret-Comp (retroactive compensation)

**Author's Note:**

> *written using the prompt: [4.05](http://community.livejournal.com/writerinadrawer/141800.html)
> 
> originally posted 07/10/10

* * *

“–sterminangg… hem, uh, bit of a pest problem, we’re clearing the building for the day, so… don’t come in.” There was a distant muffled sound, like fabric flapping in a strong wind, then– “Oh, and… have a nice day,” before a loud click.

Ianto stopped, fingers poised around one cufflink halfway done up, and stared at the answering machine.

Lisa stepped around him, adjusting one earring while toeing under the bed to snag her shoes. “What was that?”

“Someone from HR – the building’s closed today,” Ianto said, frowning slightly. He gave up on his cufflink and began loosening his tie.

Lisa stopped, too, one black pump on, the other laying on its side by her feet, and her blouse still hanging loosely out of her skirt. “Is it something to do with the Ghost Shift, do you think?”

“Who knows?” Ianto shrugged. “Not like they’d tell us, anyway, if it was. But hey,” he said, waggling eyebrows at her, “free day off work!” He took one long stride over to her and slid his arm around her waist, tugging her up against him.

She squealed and laughed as he nuzzled into her neck, her hands landing on his shoulders to steady herself. “Are you sure?” Lisa glanced at the phone, then back at him. Ianto rolled his eyes – if he wasn’t careful, she was going to make a responsible man out of him – and reached over to play the message again.

_“Hello! Mr. Jones and Ms… Hallett. Yes. This is… Anna! From… Director Hartman’s office, just here to tell you not to come into work today. Because of the… the infestation. We’re having someone in to exterminangg… hem, uh–”_

“Huh. She sounds new. I didn’t know we had any other Welsh people working with us,” Lisa said, smirking at him.

Ianto shook his head at her. “It’s a big place, hundreds of people working there, I’d certainly hope there were others. I can’t be expected to represent my entire country.”

_“–so… don’t come in.”_

“What _would_ people think?” Lisa cocked her head to one side, trying to keep a perfectly straight face.

“That all Welsh men are unreasonably good-looking and sexy, of course.”

“Mmhmm.” Lisa wound her arms around his neck and smiled at him. “So… day off. However will we pass the time?”

With a devilish grin, Ianto wrapped his arms more firmly around Lisa’s waist, hands skating over her bare skin beneath her blouse, and dropped them both, laughing, onto the bed.

_“Oh, and… have a nice day.”_

\---

Gwen hung up the phone. **_The_** phone. The one that could call any place or any time in the whole universe. The one Jack had locked away and warned them all that it was _never_ to be used.

Well, Jack wasn’t here anymore, was he?

She uncapped her pen and made another mark on her list.

  * Owen – shut down The Pharm ✔ 
  * Ianto – save Lisa ✓ 
  * Tosh – save Tommy? 
  * 1965 – ???



Tapping the pen, idly, Gwen thought of other things to add.

* * *


End file.
